


You Won't Get What You Want: The 68th Hunger Games

by MoonlightSalsa



Series: The Victor With 23 Faces [12]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Districts 1-12 (Hunger Games), Gen, Jealousy, POV Third Person Omniscient
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27973595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlightSalsa/pseuds/MoonlightSalsa
Summary: What the districts think of Isaiah Surey and his victory, and what it means to them.
Series: The Victor With 23 Faces [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1692511
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	You Won't Get What You Want: The 68th Hunger Games

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the album by Daughters, which I listened to while writing this.

_District One greets him sourly._

It's understandable. After all, they were very close to having their fourth Victor in a decade. And for the second time, they would have had back-to-back victories. Those feats don't come easily to just any old tributes from any old districts. 

Unfortunately for them, they didn't come out on top. 

And they are not happy about it. 

From the moment Isaiah arrives in the Luxury District, he's aware of the fact that he's not exactly welcome here. They only offer him their hospitality out of obligation. Their attitude smothers him until he feels like he might snap from all the tension. 

His speech is spoken quickly and he leaves the stage as soon as the last syllable comes out of his mouth, desperate to get away from all their disappointed gazes. 

~*~ 

_District Two greets him angrily._

While District One was relatively quiet in their disappointment, District Two doesn't share that filter. 

They are never in a good mood when they lose, and this year is no exception. Especially since One has already had three fucking Victors in the last ten years and they've only had one… 

They aren't silently listening during his speech. They're yelling, cursing at him, throwing rocks at him. He only narrowly avoids getting hit in the head with a particularly large one. 

The tributes’ families state him down with fire in their eyes, even though he had nothing to do with either of their deaths. As far as they are concerned, he's just as guilty as the actual killers. 

~*~ 

_District Three greets him apathetically._

They haven't had a Victor since the 48th Games. That was twenty years ago. And their boy and girl both went down in the bloodbath. They lost their only stakes in the whole thing very early on, so they can't find it within themselves to care very much when Isaiah tries to give his condolences. 

They listen silently, waiting for it all to be over so they can go about their day. Isaiah’s presence means little to them. 

Why should it? He's not one of theirs. 

~*~ 

_District Four greets him sadly._

Isaiah being here means that once more, the Academy’s hard work training tributes has failed. 

They are quite poorly funded, really. That might explain why they have the least Career victories; they only number three. Three. Up against One and Two’s tallies. The training just seems like a waste of time, but still they persist. They want their children to be able to defend themselves if the time comes. 

But it's never enough. 

Instead of being saved by their skills, they are just volunteering to die. 

Maybe it's time to call it quits. 

~*~ 

_District Five greets him enviously._

They want another Victor. It's not so much to ask for, is it? For a girl or boy to come home, for them to receive the packages of food that many of them would love to have. For there to be another mentor to guide future tributes. 

They were close this year - their boy made it to the final four! But of course he had to die! Of course they won't get the rewards they need! Why is life so unfair to them? Their tributes try so hard to survive, and fate repays them by ensuring they don't make it. 

Isaiah and the rest of Eleven are lucky. They'll get all the food and gifts for a year. But hopefully next year it'll be Five’s turn to be lucky. Hopefully they'll be the ones being showered with essential items they couldn't otherwise afford. 

Hopefully. 

~*~ 

_District Six greets him worriedly._

Even though they got their fourth Victor only two years ago, they're already anticipating the twenty-something-years long gap between her and their next one. They have to wait too long every time, watching year after year as their children are taken and killed horribly. 

Six is a truly rubbish place to live. It's harsh living conditions can sometimes breed strong, capable tributes, but most of the time it's the youngest ones, or the morphling addicts that get reaped. 

The district doesn't hate Isaiah, really they don't, but they resent his very presence. He's just a reminder that they'd better get used to a long losing streak. 

~*~ 

_District Seven greets him respectfully._

The outer district tributes are at a disadvantage against the Careers a lot of the time, so whenever one manages to win, Seven is fine with it. Obviously they'd prefer one of their own tributes, but Eleven is one of the poorest districts. They deserve another victory. 

But they absolutely hate it when the Victor kills their tributes. They rob them of another of their children coming home. Luckily, Isaiah didn't kill either Seven tribute, so he's safe from their ire. 

Seven’s Victors approach him and make small talk, congratulate him, and welcome him into the Victor Family. He leaves feeling better than in the other districts. 

~*~ 

_District Eight greets him tiredly._

Everyone in Eight is worked to the bone, so their attention span regarding the Hunger Games only lasts as long as their tributes. They need to put all their focus into work, which doesn't stop for grief and death. The funerals were brief, and after that, the day carried on as normal. 

The day Isaiah arrives is one of the few chances for a real break that they have. They listen politely to his speech and his eulogies for their tributes, knowing that after it’s all over it'll be back into the daily grind. 

Those factories aren't going to run themselves. 

~*~ 

_District Nine greets him irritably._

Their last Victor is easily one of the most hated people in the entire district. They want their next one to be nicer, someone they can actually like and respect. 

With each year that passes, they're only more reminded of the fact that they might not get another Victor for quite awhile. After all, District Twelve had a twenty-six year gap between their two Victors. Who knows how long Nine will have to wait. 

It's annoying, in a way. They watch all the other districts win while they have to suffer without. And they can't stand the thought of Liddie dying like Conor and Miller did, and leaving all the tributes to be mentored by Jerry fucking Silas. 

~*~ 

_District Ten greets him furiously._

How could they not? He murdered Louie! Killed him in cold blood! 

Louie was one of the strongest tributes to come out of Ten in years. He had a real shot at winning. He was muscular from all his years in the ranch, he was cunning, and he knew his way around a few different types of blades. His reaping had people hoping that they might finally have another Victor. 

But then that hope was cruelly stripped away the second Isaiah picked up that humongous teapot and swung it at his head. 

Isaiah didn't even get the chance to finish his speech before the crowd started the throw stuff at him, screaming all the while. 

~*~ 

_District Eleven greets him joyously._

They crowd round the train as Isaiah leaves, all cheering and whistling. They're beyond happy to have Victor Number Five, especially after the news broke that Roland, their first Victor, passed away suddenly during these Games. Roland, they knew, would be happy. 

When the trumpets rang out in the arena, the entire district erupted into cheers. People gathered in the streets to drink and party with an unfamiliar sense of irresponsibility. Sure, they had work tomorrow and many of them had to get up early, but they won the Games! They should be able to celebrate! 

People brought small gifts to Isaiah’s deliriously happy parents to say thank-you for raising such a strong, smart young man. He has made his district incredibly proud. 

His parents couldn't do anything but agree. 

~*~ 

_District Twelve greets him quietly._

Their joy has long since been sucked out. Their hope continuously crashes and burns. There just doesn't seem to be any point to feeling them anymore. 

They have only two Victors; one of whom has long since died, the other is an alcoholic. There's no reason to do anything other than hope for the best, but even that just seems foolish. The tributes are nothing more than cannon fodder, used to pad out a more capable tribute’s kill count. 

They cry, but they try not to do so in public. Sometimes they can't help it. 

The families on the podium don't care who sees their silent tears. 

Everyone else is just as silent. Only the wind can be heard, screaming their pain for them. 


End file.
